I want my intention placed privately in the intention plate before the Blessed Sacrament (privately in the chapel)

Thank you! Your intention has been submitted.

May God bless you this day and every day.

Needed Hours

All visitors are welcome, even if you just have a few minutes.

The chapel daily welcomes both visitors and scheduled adorers. Whether you want to say hello to Our Lord for a few minutes or stay for a few hours, each and every person (including members of other parishes and non-Catholics, too!) is invited to spend time at St. Ferdinand's Adoration Chapel. Jesus awaits your visit with joy and mercy, and He longs to show you the way to the Heavenly Father.

Did you know that all 168 hours a week have a scheduled adorer at St. Ferdinand's chapel? Well, except a few... can you help?

Consider deepening your spiritual life by accepting Christ's invitation to "spend an hour with Him" by becoming a scheduled weekly adorer. Every hour is open for additional adorers (our goal is to have at least two people scheduled every hour).

The times listed below are slots that currently have NO ONE signed up and therefore are in serious need of someone to be with Jesus during these times immediately (currently, substitutes are praying during these hours).

If you cannot commit to an hour a week, no worries- consider becoming a substitute instead. As a sub, you'll occasionally be contacted with the opportunity (but are not required) to fill in for a scheduled adorer who is unable to make it to their hour. You are also welcome to stop by any time, even for just a few minutes. You do NOT have to be scheduled or a substitute to visit. All visitors are welcome, 24/7.

Needed Hours (currently no adorers scheduled!)*

Monday afternoon 2 - 3 PM

Saturday early morning: 3 - 4 AM

All hours are open to a second adorer!

*Hours current as of March 10, 2017. The most current needed hours can always be found in the latest bulletin.

Below, you'll find a list of prayers and resources that focus on Eucharistic Adoration.

In the stillness, Lord, I adore You.In the silence, I am with You.Let my heart burn steadily as the flame which points to Your Presence, alight before men, a sign which calls to worship.We have shared in Your Mysteries.We have joyously offered the Sacrifice of our freedom and feasted on the reality of Your Body and blood.Our prayer, praise, and penance has been offered through You to the eternal Father, in the power of the Spirit.Our feet have taken us from Your temple into the world bearing You among men, bringing You into the midst of all for whom You died.Now I return, Lord, to the still point where You abide always taking forward in Your tabernacle the movements of our worship, enfolding in Your real Presence all our hopes and longings.Lord, let me look forward to the celebration of the Mysteries. May these moments with You turn me towards the offering of Your Sacrifice and the feast of Your love.(Rev. Peter Elliott)

Dear Jesus, please help us to change. Guide us to Your eternal wisdom so that whatever we do is for Your honor and glory. Make our advancement suit Your desires for us. As You are unchanging, change us to be the people You created us to be.

Show us Your expectations. We keep forgetting and becoming distracted. We are spiritual babies, crawling toward You, but we become mesmerized by the lights, bells and whistles placed around us. When we tarry, Lord, point us back in the right direction. When we become enthralled with all that we are, remind us of who You are. Direct us always into Your loving embrace.

We have so much, dear Jesus, but we have nothing when we donít have You. Startle us, if You must, with the light of Your truth. Jar us from the glitter and glamour into the harsh reality of our personal responsibilities. Lead us to options for the poor, ethical standards and practices, respect for life. Help us to see that less is more. Show us the wealth of fewer earthly pleasures and more spiritual pleasures. Draw us to You, dear Jesus. Donít let us become distracted from You.

Lord, You came that Your people might have life, and have it to the fullest. Your ministry was dedicated to it. You healed so many, showed so much compassion for those in need. There is so much healing needed now, Lord. As I pray for healing, I offer You my faith, as those did who sought You out while You were on earth. The woman said she needed only to touch Your cloak. The lepers came in faith. The blind man asked, ìthat I might see, Lord.î Martha and Mary said that had You been present, Lazarus would not have died. So You brought him back to life, Lord. The Centurion admitted that You didnít even have to return to his home with him to heal; You need only to will it so. How many have You healed, Lord? Physically, emotionally, spiritually?

Divine Physician, I come to You now to ask for healing for (your intention). I bring You this need knowing only You alone have such power. Trusting in Your mercy and compassion, Lord, I place all in Your hands. If it be Your will deliver Your servant from this affliction. Lord Jesus, may Your healing love be an obvious reflection of Your power and majesty. May it be attributable to You alone and for Your greater honor and glory. May it be a conversion for sinners, a hope for those in need, a beacon of light for those lost. Jesus, I trust in You. Heal, Lord Jesus!

Jesus! My Saviour, my Lord! I look at that host ñ at You truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. But what do I see? My mind wanders. What image is created? Do I really need to see some actual image of You?

What image do You see in looking at me? Lord, perhaps I really donít want that question answered. A sinner? Indifference? Lack of love, lack of faith? A life created by You to honor, serve and love You ñ still unconverted? Might You see someone coming to give You just time, or lip service? You said that in Your Gospels, Lord: ìThese people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.î

Should I see You in Your glory, Lord ñ the risen Christ now at the right hand of the Father? Or in a manger at Bethlehem? Your crucifixion, your pain, Your suffering? Should I see a compassionate Jesus? A God of justice in judgment?

What do You see in looking at me Lord? I can't see the real, human image of You. Do you just see the human image of me? Maybe, I would prefer if You saw me in some other form too. But You said that You came to call sinners. Then, Lord Jesus, I bring You my sins. Heal in me whatever You see that needs healing.

O Lord, You are my Lord and my God, yet I have never seen You.You have created and redeemed me, and have conferred on me all my goods, yet I know You not.I was created in order that I might know You, but I have not yet attained the goal of my creation, I confess, O Lord, and give You thanks, that You have created me in Your image, so that I might be mindful of You and contemplate You, and love You.I seek not to understand in order that I may believe; rather, I believe in order that I may understand. Amen.(Prayer of St. Anselm)

O Mary, powerful Virgin, you are the mighty and glorious protector of the Church; you are the marvelous help of Christians; you are powerful as an army set in battle array; you alone have destroyed every heresy in the whole world. In the midst of our anguish, our struggles and our distress, defend us from the power of the enemy and at the hour of our death receive our souls in paradise. Amen.

Lord, grant that I may always allow myself to be guided by you, always follow Your plans and perfectly accomplish Your holy will. Grant that in all things, great and small, today and all the days of my life, I may do whatever You require of me. Help me respond to the slightest prompting of Your grace so that I may be Your trustworthy instrument for Your honor.

May Your will be done in time and in eternity ñ by me, in me and through me. Amen.(St. Teresa of Avila)

O God, from Whom proceeds all holy desires, all right counsels and all just works; grant unto us Your servants that peace which the world cannot give. May our hearts be devoted to Your service, and that, being delivered from the fear of our enemies, we may pass our time in peace under Your protection. Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

(Taught by the Angel to the children at Fatima in 1917) O My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love You! And I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not trust, and do not love You.

— Learn —

Eucharistic Adoration Q&A

What Is Eucharistic Adoration?

The Eucharist is the Real Presence of Christ: the physical Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. During the Mass, the bread and wine are completely "transubstantiated" into the Real Presence, while the “accidents” of bread and wine remain.

“Only the substance is converted into another—the accidents remaining the same—just as would be the case if wood were miraculously converted into iron, the substance of the iron remaining hidden under the external appearance of the wood.” -quote from Catholic.com.

“Eucharistic Adoration extends Holy Communion in a lasting way and prepares us to participate more fully in the celebration of the Eucharistic mystery. It leads us to ‘acknowledge Christ’s marvelous presence in the sacrament’ and ‘invites us to the spiritual union with Him that culminates in sacramental communion'" -quote from “Thirty-One questions on Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament” by the Bishops’ committee on the liturgy from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

While many struggle with this great mystery, both today and in Jesus’s time, it is part of the foundation of the Catholic Church, and the basis for Eucharistic Adoration.

What is Perpetual Adoration?

Perpetual Adoration (more properly defined as “Perpetual Exposition) at St. Ferdinand refers to the liturgical act whereby the Blessed Sacrament (the Real Presence in a host that was consecrated at Mass) is placed in a monstrance perpetually (24 hours a day, seven days a week) so that our community may gather together to pray before the exposed Eucharist. This is an extremely beautiful opportunity- Christ is literally present in Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. Although not a physical communion like at Mass, we can participate in a spiritual communion.

Why should I go to Adoration?

“I already go to Mass every Sunday, pray privately at home, and try to be a good person. Why should I go to adoration? Isn’t Christ in each of us? God hears my prayers even at home already, right?”

Yes, Christ is in all these things, and all these things are good! The reason we go to Adoration is similar to why we go to Church: to worship as a community and to build our relationship with God and others. The Eucharist in the Mass is “truly the origin and purpose of the worship that is shown to the Eucharist outside Mass.”

Although Adoration is not a physical communion like at Mass, we are able to make a spiritual communion and “make contact with the very wellspring of grace… we are given the opportunity to thank Him for his passion, death, and glorious resurrection, the marvelous saving act that brought about our redemption. Christ draws near to us, more intimate with us than we are with ourselves. He strengthens our share in His divine life, the life that transforms us into His likeness and, in the Spirit, He gives us access to the Father.” (USCCB). It is one of the highest forms of connection we can have with God outside of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

What do I do in Adoration?

There are many things you can do in Adoration! Here are a few examples:

Pray in the peaceful quiet

Pray the rosary (there are rosaries on the right side of the bookshelf in the entryway of the chapel)

Meditate on how Christ in the Eucharist is truly “Here, with me, looking at me, and loving me”

Read a spiritual book (also in the entryway is a bookshelf of reading material; please do NOT remove these from the chapel).

In short, reverence with an emphasis on quiet peacefulness with the Lord.

The History of St. Ferdinand's Chapel

The Adoration Chapel has been a wonderful addition to the spiritual life of St. Ferdinand Parish since June of 1982. The chapel is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and provides a sacred place for all to visit the Lord. Every week at least 168 committed parishioners, called "Adorers," spend at least their one hour commitment in adoration of Our Lord present in the Eucharist.

The idea for a Perpetual Adoration Chapel came into being over 30 years ago when two of St. Ferdinand's parishioners went to the Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia. They heard Bishop Fulton Sheen speak about how he made a holy hour every day and how beneficial he felt it was for him. The parishioners, Ed and Blanche Rowles, were impressed by what Bishop Sheen had said. After reading an article in "Immaculate Magazine" that encouraged people to open a Eucharistic Chapel, the Rowles approached Monsignor Holland about using the empty chapel at St. Ferdinand (it was part of the convent at one time). Msgr. Holland was a bit skeptical that this would work, thinking everyone was too busy with their lives and interests, but he gave the go ahead to try.

The first step was to determine what parishioner support could be expected to sustain such a chapel. Fr. Martin Lucia of the Missionary Society of the Blessed Sacrament was invited to speak on the concept of Perpetual Adoration on April 17th and 18th, 1982. As a result, nearly 450 parishioners signed up! Msgr. Holland's concerns were satisfied, so he requested permission from the Archdiocese to begin such a program.

Archbishop May's approval was granted on May 18, 1982. The chapel opened and the Perpetual Adoration program started on June 18, 1982, the eve of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Our chapel has been blessed with the participation of many fantastic men and women over the years, including Archbishop Rigali for the chapel's 15th year anniversary in 1997, Bishop Hermann for the 25th anniversary in 2007, and Bishop Rice for the 30th anniversary in 2012.

The chapel has remained mostly the same through the years, however new carpeting was added in 2009 through the generous time and talent of a parishioner; furniture and the outdoor Nativity scene were donated in 2009 by Nick and Jean Ambrow. There are some new changes and upgrades going on in 2017 that will hopefully both enhance your special visit with Our Lord and help keep the chapel a sacred place for public worship.

It takes many volunteers to keep the chapel running smoothly. Stephanie, Alice, Janet, and Ann are four of the volunteers who work very hard to organize and fill the scheduled hours. Ron takes care of the candles and holy water, Rita keeps the chapel sparkling, and Phyllis takes care of linens and seasonal decorations.

Many people have been blessed over the years through adoring Our Lord at the perpetual adoration chapel, and their testimony can be seen both in the bulletin (every week there's a new story, see the last page of the bulletin!) and in the living witness of the faithful at St. Ferdinand parish. We are truly blessed to have Christ be both spiritually and physically the center of our parish!

Fun Facts

June 2017 will mark the 35th Anniversary of perpetual adoration in St. Ferdinand’s chapel!

There are 168 hours per week to fill. Someone must be in the chapel every hour of every day. Our goal is to have two Adorers each hour. We also need Adorers who will substitute if someone cannot be present for their regular hour.

The adoration chapel is only scheduled to close once a year— during the Easter Triduum (Holy Thursday through Easter Sunday). It symbolizes Christ’s physical absence from earth between His death and resurrection.

Although known to have occurred as early as the fourth century, perpetual adoration began to develop on a worldwide scale after the Council of Trent (1545-1563) when it was formally approved by Pope Julius III on October 11, 1551.

The beautiful gold vessel that holds the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel is called a “Monstrance,” from the Latin word “monstrāre” which means “to show.” The logo in our website's footer is a digital replica of the monstrance found at the chapel. The "Pray" page image is a photo of the Eucharist in the monstrance at St. Ferdinand's chapel.

Other Information

Please be respectful and quiet in the Adoration Chapel.

Please remember to genuflect (lower your body briefly by bending one knee to the ground) upon entering Christís Real Presence in the Eucharist; if you are physically unable to, please bow or make some act of reverence.

Never eat or drink in the chapel, including chewing gum or candy.

The telephone in chapel is for emergency use only.

If an emergency of a serious nature arises, call 911

Christ in the Eucharist may NEVER be left unattended, even for a very brief time. Make sure to check the sign-in sheet before you leave to make sure the person who is scheduled for the next hour is in the chapel before you leave.

Please DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE CHAPEL, including reading materials, flowers, prayer cards, flyers, and private devotionals. Thank you!

To sign up for an adoration hour or to become a substitute, please contact the appropriate chapel coordinator for the hour(s) you are available (see the pray page).

If coming from Lindbergh, take Charbonier for one mile and St. Ferdinand will be on your right.If coming from Howdershell, take Charbonier for a quarter mile and St. Ferdinand will be on your left; make sure to enter from the southernmost entrance (the first entrance you'll see coming from Howdershell is one-way out of the parish.